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Prickly Succulent Gallery

Agave Family

        

Agavaceae - part of the Lily Family
Soapweed Yucca (Beargrass) Yucca glauca
Each flower about 1-2" wide in a wide 2 feet tall cluster on a 3-8 foot tall stalk. Leaves of plant at base are 1-2 feet long. They are rounded on the back and cupped on the upper side. Leaf edges have white hairs. Seed pods are green turning black as they ripen. The roots were used to make soap. Spike flowers and seeds are edible. The spiny leaf tip is a needle with thread attached.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May 2004
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Callahan, Brown, Runnels)

Similar Species

Arkansas Yucca Yucca arkansana
Smaller than other Yucca because the flower stem is short, to 3 feet tall. Flowers are fewer on stem, greenish-white. Blooms in spring. Leaves are 8"-24" long, blue-green or yellow-green, white margins, curly threads on margins, thin & flexible, terminal spine (often broken). Grows in shade but does not bloom as well.
(Native of Texas, east & south - not in my area)

Buckley's Yucca Yucca constricta
Leaves are blue-green to pastel blue, very narrow, up to 200 per plant, terminal spine, curly threads on margins. Short flowering stem. Large flower cluster often symetrical branches, to 5 feet tall. Flower is greenish-white. Blooms in spring.
(Native of Texas, central & south - Taylor, Coleman, Brown, Coke)

Louisiana Yucca (Gulf Coast Yucca) Yucca louisianensis
Downy flower stalk, to 9 feet tall. Leaves are limp, dull green, white frayed edges and twist. Flower is greenish-white. Blooms in spring.
(Native of east Texas - Brown)

Pale-leaf Yucca Yucca pallida
Leaves are sage to bluish green with waxy bloom. 6 foot flower stalk with the cluster at the top. Flower is pale green with white edges. Blooms in spring.
(Native of Texas, central - Brown)

San Angelo Yucca Yucca reverchonii
Narrow leaves. Long flower stem with cluster at top. Flower is white to greenish.  Blooms in spring.
(Native of Texas, central & west - Coke)

Texas Yucca (Twist-leaf Yucca) Yucca rupicola
Leaves are olive green, twist with age. Leaf margin can be yellow, orange or red with "teeth" instead of hair. Few flowers on tall dark brown stalk, 5 feet tall. Flowers are white to greenish, occasionally tinted purple. Blooms in spring.
(Native of central Texas - Brown)

     

Agavaceae - part of the Lily Family
Spanish Bayonet (Torrey's Yucca) Yucca torreyi
Wide flower clusters are 2-3 tall. Leaves are 3-4 foot long and very stiff, like daggers. Plant grows 10-20 feet tall with an18" wide trunk. Trunk can be single or multiple, occasionally branched.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May 2005
(Purchased, native of Texas, central, west, south - Taylor, Coleman, Brown, Coke)

        

Agavaceae - part of the Lily Family
Red Yucca Hesperaloe parviflora
Flower stalk is narrow with sparse tube-like flowers, to 3 feet tall. Basal rosette of leaves, 2 foot long, very narrow, arching, and rolled, curly thread at margin.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May 2005
(Purchased, native of central Texas - Coleman, Brown)

              

Agavaceae - part of the Lily Family
Texas Sotol (Green Sotol) Dasylirion texanum
Long leaves have hooked thorny margin. Flower spike about 15 feet long. Missed the flower. Fruit about 3/8" wide and three sided. Base is a short trunk. This plant covers acres of land.
Photos taken in Val Verde County, Texas, August 2005
(Native of Texas, south-central & west - Coke - Val Verde)

           

Agavaceae - part of the Lily Family
Century Plant Agave americana
The old-wife's-tale claims this plant blooms once in 100 years. Actually it is once in its life, then it dies (about 10 years). Offshoots then grow to maturity.  The flower spikes can be 26 feet tall. Leaf rosette can be 13 feet wide.
The above plant was originally my great-grandfather's. No one remembers where he got it. After it bloomed in the 1950's my grandmother took a shoot and planted it at her house. My Aunt inherited it. It has many off shoots and on the rare occasion one blooms.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, June 2007
(Native of Texas - not listed in my area)

     

Agavaceae - part of the Lily Family
Mother-in-law's Tongue (Snake Plant) Sansevieria trifasciata
Leaves are vertical at about 3 feet tall (no photo). Plant spreads by rhizome. It tolerates low light levels, drought, and over-crowding. It does not tolerate freezing. The flowers grow on long stalks with groups of flowers at intervals. The scent is like strong honey, the pollen makes me sneeze. They produce small, translucent white berries. Variations have yellow or white edges.
This plant improves air quality by removing nitrogen oxide and formaldehyde. The leaf fibers once was used to make bowstrings.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May 2005
(Purchased, native of west Africa)